Team Science

Helping complex research teams work together efficiently

The CCTS Team Science component identifies and implements the best evidence-based teamwork practices for effective scientific research teams. Although most research teams are formed without application of organizational rules, the academic field of team science has shown that teams of all kinds work better when they follow certain strategies. The best practices for biomedical research teams are only now being identified and are complicated by the fact that such research involves multidisciplinary teams in multi-team systems. The work of research teams is often stalled or derailed by resolvable issues in areas such as communication, planning, goal setting, and conflict. The CCTS Team Science component is especially equipped to address these potential barriers to successful collaboration, implement trainings and best practices guided by research, and evaluate the learning progress of these teams.

The Team Science component can help research teams at CCTS institutions identify their strengths and address areas of improvement. If you are interested in working with the component on such an analysis, please submit this form. 

CCTS research teams can also participate in the component’s research on what makes research teams effective. To participate in this research, contact Dr. Daniel Ingels to schedule a brief informational session.

The Team Science component has developed a framework for team effectiveness that is grounded in the science and the unique knowledge and experience of those working across various sectors of healthcare and biomedicine. This framework ensures all team initiatives are evidence based yet practical.

A Framework for Team Effectiveness

Leadership and Staff

The Team Science component is aided by the diverse backgrounds of its personnel:

• Eduardo Salas, PhD, Professor and Allyn R. & Gladys M. Cline Department Chair at Rice University and a world leader on teamwork and team training;
• Eric J. Thomas, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Healthcare Quality at The McGovern Medical School at UTHSC-H, who directs the UTHSC-H—Memorial Hermann Center for Healthcare Quality and Safety and has conducted pioneering work on measuring team behaviors; and
• Courtney Holladay, PhD; Stephanie Zajac, PhD; and Daniel Ingels, PhD; of M. D. Anderson’s Leadership Institute, which specializes in leadership development and training clinical, administrative, and research teams to work together efficiently.